Getting multiple windows open at once might seem straightforward, but sometimes it’s a bit trickier than expected—especially if applications stubbornly refuse to spawn new instances or if doing so somehow messes up window arrangements. This guide aims to cover a few tried-and-true methods, some of which might be obvious, but hey, tech isn’t always perfectly intuitive. The goal here is to help organize your workspace better and maybe avoid some of that frustration when just trying to do multiple things at once.
How to Open Multiple Windows (Without Losing Your Mind)
Method 1: Use the Application’s Menu Options
Most apps support opening new windows via menus, which is safer than some shortcuts that might not work everywhere. For example, in most browsers or office apps, look for something like File > New Window. This is especially useful if keyboard shortcuts don’t work as expected.
- Check the top menu options in the app; many have a dedicated option to open a new window.
- This helps when Ctrl + N or Command + N doesn’t trigger a new window—sometimes, apps override those shortcuts or just don’t support them properly.
It’s a bit more clicking, but on some setups, it’s the only reliable way. Also, some apps remember this setting and automatically open new windows if you choose that menu option next time around.
Method 2: Use Keyboard Shortcuts (or Force Multi-Instance)
If the app is designed to support multiple instances, keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl + N (Windows) or Command + N (Mac) usually do the trick. But a lot of apps—think some media players or lightweight tools—restrict to a single window. In that case, here’s a trick:
- Try launching multiple instances manually. On Windows, this might mean just clicking the app icon again, or right-clicking and choosing Open in new window. For some apps, you can hold Shift + Click on the icon to force it to open again.
- On Macs, you might need to open a new window from the menu or reopen the app explicitly with the Dock right-click > New Window.
And on systems like Windows, you can also launch multiple instances via command line, like running the same app from PowerShell with specific flags, if they support it. For example, some apps accept command line switches such as --new-window.
Not sure why it works, but on some setups, launching the app twice this way yields two separate windows, which is pretty handy.
Method 3: Organizing and Resizing Windows
Once you’ve got the multiple windows open, arranging them quickly becomes a game-changer. Windows 10/11 has the Snap Assist feature, which is a godsend—just drag a window to the side or corners, and it’ll snap into place.
- On Windows, drag a window to the left or right edge of your screen to make it fill half the space; you can also use Windows + Left Arrow or Windows + Right Arrow.
- On Mac, hover over the green traffic light button, and click Tile Window to Left/Right of Screen. Or use third-party apps like Magnet for more flexible tiling.
This way, even with multiple windows open, they stay organized without overlapping chaos. Keep in mind, if the screen gets too cluttered, it’s harder to focus—sometimes a second monitor helps a lot.
Extra Tips: Debugging Why You Can’t Open Multiple Windows
Sometimes, applications refuse to open more than one window or don’t behave as expected. Here’s what to check:
- Look into the app’s settings or preferences. Some apps have options for enabling multiple windows, especially browsers, but some not so much. For example, Chrome and Firefox support multiple windows just fine. But some media apps or legacy tools may restrict this.
- Check for updates or reinstall the app—unusual bugs can stop multiple windows from working properly.
- In Windows, you might have a setting in Settings > Multitasking that affects window management or, on some PCs, a need to tweak the registry or use third-party tools like Winhance for extra window control.
Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary sometimes. But with these tricks, you should be able to open and organize multiple windows more reliably, even in less cooperative applications.